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Chicago Tribune
April 12 2015
Pope: Armenian slaughter 'the first genocide of the 20th century'
Pope Francis on Sunday honored the 100th anniversary of the slaughter
of Armenians by calling it "the first genocide of the 20th century"
and urging the international community to recognize it as such, a
politically explosive declaration that will certainly anger Turkey.
Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in
Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to
honor the memory of the innocent men, women, children, priests and
bishops who were "senselessly" murdered by Ottoman Turks.
"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding
without bandaging it," he said at the start of a Mass Sunday in the
Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter's Basilica honoring the centenary.
In a subsequent message directed to all Armenians, Francis called on
all heads of state and international organizations to recognize the
truth of what transpired and oppose such crimes "without ceding to
ambiguity or compromise."
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, refuses to call it a genocide and has insisted that
the toll has been inflated, and that those killed were victims of
civil war and unrest. It has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries,
including the Holy See, from officially recognizing the Armenian
massacre as genocide.
Turkey's embassy to the Holy See canceled a planned news conference
for Sunday, presumably after learning that the pope would utter the
word "genocide" over its objections. Requests for comment went
unanswered and there was no official word Sunday from the government
in Ankara.
Francis' words had immediate effect in St. Peters, bolstering the head
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Aram I, to thank Francis for his
clear condemnation and recall that "genocide" is a crime against
humanity that requires reparation.
"International law spells out clearly that condemnation, recognition
and reparation of a genocide are closely interconnected," Aram said in
English at the end of the Mass to applause from the pews.
Speaking as if he were at a political rally, Aram said the Armenian
cause is a cause of justice, and that justice is a gift of God.
"Therefore, the violation of justice is a sin against God," he said.
The pope's declaration prompted mixed reactions in the streets in
Istanbul. Some said they supported it, but others did not agree.
"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious
figure who has many followers," said Mucahit Yucedal, 25. "Genocide is
a serious allegation."
Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though
Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term
officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.
The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with
the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands Muslim leaders
condemn the slaughter of Christians by Muslim extremists in
neighboring Iraq and Syria.
But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once
again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues
close to his heart. He took a similar risk by inviting the Israeli and
Palestinian presidents to pray together for peace at the Vatican -- a
summit that was followed by the outbreak of fighting in the Gaza
Strip.
Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a genocide. In his
remarks, Francis cited a 2001 declaration signed by St. John Paul II
and the Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, which said the deaths
were considered "the first genocide of the 20th century."
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, whose ties with Turkey and the Muslim
world were initially strained, avoided using the "g-word" during his
pontificate.
The context of Francis' pronunciation was significant: He uttered the
words during an Armenian rite Mass in St. Peter's Basilica marking the
100th anniversary of the slaughter, alongside the Armenian Catholic
patriarch, Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Armenian Christian church
leaders and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who sat in a place of
honor in the basilica.
While Francis was archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was particularly close to the Armenian community
and he referred to the Armenian "genocide" on several occasions.
The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United
Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended to
destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many
dispute which mass killings should be called genocide.
In his remarks Sunday, Francis said the Armenian slaughter was the
first of three "massive and unprecedented" genocides last century that
was followed by the Holocaust and Stalinism. He said other mass
killings had followed, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and
Bosnia.
"It seems that the human family has refused to learn from its mistakes
caused by the law of terror, so that today too there are those who
attempt to eliminate others with the help of a few and with the
complicit silence of others who simply stand by," he said.
Francis has frequently denounced the "complicit silence" of the world
community in the face of the modern-day slaughter of Christians and
other religious minorities by Islamic extremists.
During Sunday's Mass, Francis also honored the Armenian community at
the start of the Mass by pronouncing a 10th-century Armenian mystic,
St. Gregory of Narek, a doctor of the church. Only 35 people have been
given the title, which is reserved for those whose writings have
greatly served the universal church.
The Mass was rich in traditional Armenian music, with haunting hymns
used at key points. Children dressed in traditional costumes presented
the gifts at the altar, which was bathed in a cloud of incense.
Associated Press
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-pope-armenian-genocide-20150412-story.html
April 12 2015
Pope: Armenian slaughter 'the first genocide of the 20th century'
Pope Francis on Sunday honored the 100th anniversary of the slaughter
of Armenians by calling it "the first genocide of the 20th century"
and urging the international community to recognize it as such, a
politically explosive declaration that will certainly anger Turkey.
Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in
Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to
honor the memory of the innocent men, women, children, priests and
bishops who were "senselessly" murdered by Ottoman Turks.
"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding
without bandaging it," he said at the start of a Mass Sunday in the
Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter's Basilica honoring the centenary.
In a subsequent message directed to all Armenians, Francis called on
all heads of state and international organizations to recognize the
truth of what transpired and oppose such crimes "without ceding to
ambiguity or compromise."
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, refuses to call it a genocide and has insisted that
the toll has been inflated, and that those killed were victims of
civil war and unrest. It has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries,
including the Holy See, from officially recognizing the Armenian
massacre as genocide.
Turkey's embassy to the Holy See canceled a planned news conference
for Sunday, presumably after learning that the pope would utter the
word "genocide" over its objections. Requests for comment went
unanswered and there was no official word Sunday from the government
in Ankara.
Francis' words had immediate effect in St. Peters, bolstering the head
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Aram I, to thank Francis for his
clear condemnation and recall that "genocide" is a crime against
humanity that requires reparation.
"International law spells out clearly that condemnation, recognition
and reparation of a genocide are closely interconnected," Aram said in
English at the end of the Mass to applause from the pews.
Speaking as if he were at a political rally, Aram said the Armenian
cause is a cause of justice, and that justice is a gift of God.
"Therefore, the violation of justice is a sin against God," he said.
The pope's declaration prompted mixed reactions in the streets in
Istanbul. Some said they supported it, but others did not agree.
"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious
figure who has many followers," said Mucahit Yucedal, 25. "Genocide is
a serious allegation."
Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though
Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term
officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.
The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with
the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands Muslim leaders
condemn the slaughter of Christians by Muslim extremists in
neighboring Iraq and Syria.
But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once
again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues
close to his heart. He took a similar risk by inviting the Israeli and
Palestinian presidents to pray together for peace at the Vatican -- a
summit that was followed by the outbreak of fighting in the Gaza
Strip.
Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a genocide. In his
remarks, Francis cited a 2001 declaration signed by St. John Paul II
and the Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, which said the deaths
were considered "the first genocide of the 20th century."
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, whose ties with Turkey and the Muslim
world were initially strained, avoided using the "g-word" during his
pontificate.
The context of Francis' pronunciation was significant: He uttered the
words during an Armenian rite Mass in St. Peter's Basilica marking the
100th anniversary of the slaughter, alongside the Armenian Catholic
patriarch, Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Armenian Christian church
leaders and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who sat in a place of
honor in the basilica.
While Francis was archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was particularly close to the Armenian community
and he referred to the Armenian "genocide" on several occasions.
The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United
Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended to
destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many
dispute which mass killings should be called genocide.
In his remarks Sunday, Francis said the Armenian slaughter was the
first of three "massive and unprecedented" genocides last century that
was followed by the Holocaust and Stalinism. He said other mass
killings had followed, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and
Bosnia.
"It seems that the human family has refused to learn from its mistakes
caused by the law of terror, so that today too there are those who
attempt to eliminate others with the help of a few and with the
complicit silence of others who simply stand by," he said.
Francis has frequently denounced the "complicit silence" of the world
community in the face of the modern-day slaughter of Christians and
other religious minorities by Islamic extremists.
During Sunday's Mass, Francis also honored the Armenian community at
the start of the Mass by pronouncing a 10th-century Armenian mystic,
St. Gregory of Narek, a doctor of the church. Only 35 people have been
given the title, which is reserved for those whose writings have
greatly served the universal church.
The Mass was rich in traditional Armenian music, with haunting hymns
used at key points. Children dressed in traditional costumes presented
the gifts at the altar, which was bathed in a cloud of incense.
Associated Press
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-pope-armenian-genocide-20150412-story.html